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“Of course she won't, you idiot!” Shaking my head, I look him over from head to toe. “Take a look at yourselves and see if you can figure out why she might be afraid of you two.” Huffing, I step around him and push at the doctor until he rises and moves to stand silently beside Gray.
“Go finish tending to the others, doctor. I will stay here with…” I wait for someone to tell me her name.
“Nikki.” Grayson sighs softly, “her name is Nikki.” His eyes linger on the huddled form in the corner before turning away and following the doctor into the hall. He stops, his hand on the doorknob. “I’ll be just outside if you need me.” He says, lowering his head in defeat and closing the door behind him.
I’m sad to see him looking overcome with emotions, I’ve always thought Gray was a good guy, but this isn’t about him. It’s about this girl, Nikki. What she needs is more important than the fact that Gray’s feelings are a little bruised because she doesn’t want his help right now. I shake my head again at how dense men can be sometimes. Of course, the poor thing didn’t feel safe alone in a room with not just one, but two men. I don’t blame her at all.
Crossing the distance, I sit on the floor beside her. “Hi, Nikki. I’m Analise, but you can call me Ana if you want to.” Her loud sobs are reduced to shuddering breathing now that it’s just the two of us in the room. She doesn’t say anything just stares at where her small fingers pick at something on the sheet. She smells slightly sour, of stale sex, and sweat. My stomach rolls thinking about the reasons why.
“The doctor needs to examine you. Take samples for evidence so we can nail the bastard who did this to you.” I venture. Her eyes lift to mine, they are dull grey and lifeless behind a thick fringe of sooty lashes.
“Then just scrape the evidence off of my skin.” She pulls the sheet down, baring her throat and the tops of her breasts. I can see dried flakes of something coating her skin. At first, it looks kind of like the peeling aftermath of a sunburn, then I look more closely and have to swallow the bile that bubbles up in my throat.
“Is that…?” I can’t ask. I don’t want to know the answer.
“Semen?” she asks bitterly. Harsh words continue to shoot from her lips. “Cum. Jizz. Spunk. They all called it something different when they jerked off on me.” Her words trail off. Broken. It finally occurs to me that maybe she didn’t want to be examined because she didn’t need to be.
“Did anyone… “ I don’t know what to call it. Everything they did to her was a violation. A rape. “Force intercourse on you?” I finally ask, struggling to say the words.
She sighs, her head dropping back against the wall. “No. That would have been easier to deal with than what they did do.” She finally answers but doesn’t elaborate.
“Do you have any injuries that need to be tended to?” I ask. Another sigh.
“Yes.”
“Can the doctor come in and collect samples and treat your wounds?” I request, ready to argue the necessity of samples being taken.
“Grayson and the man who found me seemed to know who it was that did this.” It’s a statement, not a question.
“They do,” I tell her.
“Samples will help put them all away?” She asks after a long silence.
“They will.” At least I hope so, but I don’t want to tell her that Dominic is rich and connected to the criminal underground. There is no telling if he will even be found, now that he knows that Xavier and the FBI are actively searching for him.
Another long silence is broken when she says, “Bring in the doctor then. I want to take a shower.”
With a nod, I slowly struggle to my feet, my belly is big enough that it always gets in my way these days, and open the door a crack. Grayson is where I left him, standing right outside the door. “She’s ready to see Dr. Halvorson,” I tell him. He nods once and turns to the living room, and I return to Nikki’s side.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Xavier
I haven’t seen Ana since she went down the hall to look after Grayson’s girl. I saw his face when he came to get the doctor, but he didn’t say anything, just waved him down the hall. He’s sitting out on my balcony now, a beer in his hands even though I haven’t seen him take a single sip of it. He’s staring in the direction of Woodlawn, his jaw clenched tight and a scowl twisting his normally happy face.
Agent Weaver was here and has left already. She took what had to be hundreds of photos and the names of all the victimized people. She advised them all to go to the local hospital to be checked out and called for a van to transport them. They all went, only Gracie and Margot staying behind. Gracie is curled on the sofa sleeping while Margot helps Ellie and Faye wash dishes and pick up after all of the activity. Her eyes keep resting gratefully on her granddaughter, and I’m happy we were able to save her before anything was done to her that would make healing even more difficult.
A lot of the people who were here tonight will have a long road ahead of them. I already let Agent Weaver know that if there is anything that I can do for them to let me know. I’m happy to pay for counseling, medical bills, anything that they need. Once again, it was my family that did this to them, so it’s up to me to make things right.
Once everything in the apartment is back in order, Travis slaps my shoulder as he walks by me. “You did good, brother,” he mumbles.
Taking Faye’s hand, they say their goodnights to everyone remaining, and head to their apartment downstairs. Ellie yawns widely, pulling on a sweater.
“I need to get home too.” She says, waving her cell phone in the air before sliding it into her pocket, “Mama’s having a rough night with Lizzie.” Her sigh speaks volumes about how exhausted she is, and her night isn’t ending yet. I know from what Ana has said, that she will go home now and take care of her disabled sister so that her mother can rest.
“Are you scheduled to work tomorrow?” I ask gently. She nods. I look over at Margot, kneeling on the floor beside the couch, waking up Grace.
“Margot, I want you and Ellie to both take tomorrow off, with pay. Whoever can cover the shifts on such short notice can be paid double for their time. Can you arrange that from home?” Her nod is quick.
